A Time for Reflection & Collaboration

By Steve Fredricks 

As the 2024 harvest concludes, the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, and the year draws to a close, it's a natural time for reflection and giving thanks. While it's easy to get caught up in the current negativity caused by slow consumer sales and oversupply, let's appreciate a few of the positives—both in the past year and the one ahead. 

We can be thankful the 2024 harvest was earlier, smoother, and lighter than in 2023. And, despite the multiple heat events throughout California, winemakers' feedback has been positive to excellent regarding the vintage's quality thus far. This presents continued opportunities for the industry, as wine quality for consumers is better than ever with diverse styles. 

We can also be thankful that beyond the vines and wines, there is a growing awareness and an increasing sense of collaboration to address and turn the tide of our global consumer sales challenges. There will not be one singular solution to address the consumption challenges and improve the market; instead, many initiatives will be needed. One such initiative by the California Wine Institute outlined a marketing message specifically targeted at Zillennials—a crossover of younger generations— which can be applied in many ways in support of promoting wine. The key finding from their research showed that younger generations expressed a longing for more face-to-face time with friends and family. As we all know, wine is a perfect beverage for sharing—one that lubricates conversation and, as they describe, “Cultivates Togetherness.” This idea of promoting wine as the perfect beverage to foster and enhance togetherness was also a central part of the successful inaugural “Come Over October,” or “COO.” This desire from Zillennials presents a unique opportunity for the wine industry to capitalize on. These types of efforts that are mounting globally, but the marketing efforts to promote wine will need to be a collective effort. 

To read more about various initiatives, we encourage you to visit the Wine Industry Network website page which was created to be a hub for these industry efforts. Mike Veseth has also done a good job consolidating various global efforts in a recent Wine Economist article. We encourage you to find what efforts resonate with your business and ways to join in the effort to promote the responsible consumption of wine. 

While not everything is positive, there is still plenty to be thankful for right now. Let us all share in the festive spirit of getting together with friends, family, and a bottle of wine or two for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Let this time remind us of the benefits wine adds to these occasions, the strength we find in community, and help promote a thriving future for our industry. 

This issue will include a grape harvest summary by region, a look at the bulk market with an emphasis on early demand for 2024 varieties, and an international update.

In This Issue

• Grape Market 3 
• North Coast 3 
• San Joaquin Valley 4 
• Bulk Market 4 
• Sauvignon Blanc 5 
• Pinot Grigio 6 
• Chardonnay 6 
• Demand: 7 
• Cabernet Sauvignon 7 
• Pinot Noir 8 
• International Update 8 
• Conclusion 9 
• 2024 Crop Contest 10 
• New Grape Broker 10 
• Turrentine on the Road 11 
• Market Opportunities 12  

Read the full market update

Bulk Wine Grape Market